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About

Founded nationally in 1997, The First Tee’s mission is “to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.” 170 First Tee chapters have since formed across the nation, engaging 17,000 volunteers to mentor and develop 9 million children through the sport. Each chapter is its own locally-funded 501c3 non-profit, and the local Board volunteers their service to govern the chapter and financially support its programs.

Through programming delivered at golf courses, in elementary schools’ physical education curriculum, and in local youth centers, The First Tee teaches participants valuable life skills including problem solving, managing time, controlling one’s emotions, making friends with diverse peers, working well with others and improving relationships with family and community.

It’s about more than golf – and we have the research and results to back it up. Independent research on the impact of local chapters found the following after three years in the program. For these reasons and others, The First Tee has found its retention rate is significantly higher than other youth sport organizations:

73% of participating youth reported high confidence in their ability to do well academically.

82% felt confident in their social skills with peers.

52% credited the program for their ability to appreciate diversity.

91% of participants are inspired to perform some form of community service while enrolled.

The First Tee of Greater Detroit is uniquely poised to help foster the growth of the game and improve children’s lives in a revitalizing urban environment with endless potential. Leveraging Detroit’s rich golf history alongside the First Tee’s Nine Core Values can lift the entire community. The demographic in the community surrounding our chapter location is well suited for our mission with a large youth population, high poverty levels, and low high school graduation rates, with potential to expand into the greater metropolitan Detroit area and Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties (the three largest in Michigan).

The First Tee’s Reach

Our chapter is one of many in The First Tee network. The First Tee is reaching young people in all 50 states and select international locations on golf courses, in elementary schools and through other youth-serving organizations.